YORDAN MARCHEV1, NADEZHDA PALOVA2*, DIMITRINKA KRUSHEVA2, GERGANA YORDANOVA1
1Agricultural Institute – Shumen
2Scientific Center of Agriculture – Sredets
*Corresponding author e-mail: napal@abv.bg
Abstract:
A study with 20 sows and 8 boars from the Eastern Balkan breed was carried out. A traditional system of feeding is practiced – on the pasture and feeding cereal feeds. Sows from the first group were fed conventionally produced, and those from the second group – organically produced barley and wheat in the amount of 1.8 – 2.0 kg /capita/day. The results of the reproduction for a three-year period are analyzed. A chemical analysis of conventional and organic barley and wheat, for dry and organic content, protein, fibers, fats, minerals, calcium and phosphorus has been performed. It was found that the organic feeds (barley and wheat) are comparable to conventional and can be successfully applied in feeding of pigs from the East Balkan breed. The results for the reproductive performance of the sows shows an average of 6,34 pcs per sow in I group fed conventional feeds and 6,43pcs in group II pigs fed organic feeds. The average live weight at birth was 1069g for pigs of group I and 1048 g for pigs of group II which is within the normal range for the breed. These results are not different from those from our previous studies on the characteristics the reproduction of sows of the East Balkan breed fed conventional cereal feeds. The comparative analysis characterizing the quality of the ejaculates of boars fed conventional and organic feeds shows 205.33 ml and 211.33 ml volume, 346 x 106 and 334 x 106 / ml concentration, 75% and 76% motility and 18% and 16% agglutination of the spermatozoa. These results indicate that the use of organic cereal fodders in feeding the boars does not have a negative effect on the sperm quantitative and qualitative characteristics.
Keywords: East Balkan sows; boars, reproductive ability; organic fodders; sperm quality.
